Apple Tarte Tatin (Tarte Tatin aux Pommes)

Grab this foolproof apple tarte Tatin recipe to discover how to make an easy and delicious French dessert all year round. It is an upside-down pastry with caramelized apples on top. It is the recipe everyone is talking about!

If you look for an easy and quick apple dessert, do not look any further. This classic apple tarte Tatin (tarte Tatin aux pommes in French) is your answer!

After making tarte Tatin multiple times, I am ready to answer the most burning questions about this French pastry.

What is apple tarte Tatin?

Apple tarte Tatin is a signature French apple upside-down pastry (tarte aux pommes à l'envers in French).

As per The New York Times, apple tarte Tatin is a

simple combination of thick caramelized apple slices resting on a bed of flaky pastry.

According to a legend, it was invented by two Tatin sisters at the end of the 19th century. 

They were owners of a provincial French hotel named Hotel Tatin, and ran a restaurant often visited by hunters.

One day, one of the sisters, Stéphanie Tatin, forgot about apples cooking on the stove while making an apple pie.

Feeling the smell of burning and trying to save a situation, she covered the apples with the dough on top and baked the pie anyway.

According to Wikipedia,

After turning out the upside-down tart, she was surprised to find how much the hotel guests appreciated the dessert.

The tarte Tatin was born.

The best apples for tarte Tatin

To make the best apple tarte Tatin, apples must hold their shape throughout cooking.

Traditionally, French chefs prefer Reine de Reinette, Reinette Clochard, Reinette Chanteclerc, Belle de Boskoop, apples with the right balance of sweetness and acidity.

Other pastry makers easily use Gala and Golden Delicious; this is what I use to make apple tarte Tatin.

You have to peel and core apples, then slice them in quarters and caramelize.

Gordon Ramsey and Jacques Sailer recommend peeling apples the night before, keeping them uncovered in the refrigerator to allow apples to dry out. This step helps avoid a soggy crust.

How to caramelize apples

Either you agree or not, but as per the prize-winning Mr. Lejarre,

Caramelization accounts for the charm of the tart. It's everything.

There are two known ways to caramelize apples for tarte Tatin. Some chefs perform this step on the stovetop.

Others use the two-step method: the caramelization on top of the stove followed the oven caramelization.

In most recipes, butter is cooked with sugar over high heat until the liquid bubbles and caramelized. Then apple slices are added for caramelization.

Tarte Tatin makers look for the right color of caramel. And they go by feel: from light chestnut color to golden brown and even dark brown.

Interestingly, even pastry chefs make mistakes with caramelization. In such a case, French chef Claude Fouquiau from Nouan-Le-Fuzelier does not sell those tarts.

Apple tarte Tatin recipe

I adapted a tarte Tatin recipe created by French chef Christophe Michalak.

The chef makes dry caramel (no water added) that hardens within a few minutes. Please, read more about caramel in the post for Hazelnut Praline.

His approach to apple preparation is completely different from most chefs. He uses a poaching technique.

Instead of frying apples in caramel before baking, Mr. Michalak cooks apple quarters in butter/sugar/water syrup for 10 minutes.

This step makes the apples soft and allows to arrange them in a pan with the cooked caramel as tight as possible.

How to serve apple tarte Tatin

Serve apple tarte Tatin warm with homemade whipped cream, a dollop of crème fraîche, sour cream, sweetened mascarpone, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Why you should try this recipe

1. This puff pastry tarte Tatin is the easiest apple dessert ever. It requires only four ingredients plus a store-bought puff pastry.
2. Using poached apples is one of the best techniques while making classic apple tarte Tatin.
3. This apple dessert is an all-year-round favorite.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making this recipe as written for the best results. 

Sugar: use granulated white or caster sugar.

Apples: the recipe calls for Golden Delicious apples, but you can replace them with Gala, Braeburn, Boskoop, Canada, Pink Lady, or Reinette if desired.

Butter: use unsalted butter for apple poaching.

Puff pastry: use store-bought or homemade puff pastry or replace it with shortcrust pastry.

How to make apple tarte Tatin

Thaw the puff pastry. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to 5 mm thick. Cut a dough circle using a 9-inch/23 cm pie pan as a template. Prick it with a fork and set it aside.

To make dry caramel, place ⅓ of granulated sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat.

Shake the pan over the stovetop while cooking sugar, but do not use any utensils.

Add another ⅓ of sugar and swirl the saucepan again. Finally, add the remaining sugar (photo 1).

The caramel must get a beautiful color without becoming quite brown. It takes about 3 to 4 min. 

Pour the caramel immediately into the bottom of a pie tin 9-inches/23 cm in diameter (photo 2). Put aside for the caramel to harden.

To poach apples, peel and cut them in quarters. Remove all seeds with a spoon or melon baller (photo 3). 

In a large pot, place water, butter, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add apples and cook them for about 10 minutes.

Remove apples when they become translucent (photo 4). Test the apples' readiness: if the tip of a knife goes in without resistance, apples are ready. Let them cool down.

Preheat the oven to 355 F/180 C.

Arrange the apple quarters on the bottom of the pie mold, placing them on the edges tightly in concentric circles (photo 5).

Place a circle of puff pastry on top of the poached apples. Slightly press the edges of the pastry against the sides of the mold (photo 6). 

Bake for 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Take the tart out of the oven and let it cool down for about 20 to 30 minutes (photos 7-8).

Then place a serving platter on top of the mold and flip the tart quickly, using a sharp move.

Tarte Tatin is covered with caramelized apples on top, while the puff pastry circle forms a base.

Expert tips

1. Please read the post for Hazelnut Praline about caramel, tips, and trick for making perfect caramel.
2. Also, read the recipe for Quince tarte Tatin about tarte Tatin pan.
3. Poach apples as one batch or divide apples and poach them in two times. Do not overcook apples!
4. Arrange poached apples tightly by pressing them down and against each other.
5. If the tart has cooled down before serving, bring it to the oven at 355 F/180 C for a few minutes to liquefy the caramel. Then flip it over and serve.
6. The calorie count is calculated approximately and does not include the whole amounts of caramel and poaching syrup ingredients. 

Frequently asked questions

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Theinitiallyal information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool. Under no circumstances will Baking Like a Chef be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on the nutritional information. You are solely responsible for all decisions about your health and ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate. Please, read the disclaimers in our Privacy Policy.

The recipe was adapted from C'est pas de la tart. It was originally published on October 05, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.